USS California (SSN-781)

For other ships with the same name, see USS California.

USS California underway
History
United States
NameUSS California
NamesakeState of California
Awarded14 August 2003
BuilderHuntington Ingalls Industries - Newport News Shipbuilding
Laid down1 May 2009
Sponsored byMrs. Donna Willard
Christened6 November 2010
Launched14 November 2010
Commissioned29 October 2011
HomeportGroton, Connecticut[1]
Motto
  • Silentium Est Aureum
  • ("Silence Is Golden")
StatusShip in active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeVirginia-class submarine
Displacement
  • 7,800 tons light
  • 7,900 tons full
Length114.9 m (377.0 ft)
Beam10.3 m (33.8 ft)
Propulsion
  • 1 × S9G PWR nuclear reactor[2] 280,000 shp (210 MW), HEU 93%[3][4]
  • 2 × steam turbines 40,000 shp (30 MW)
  • 1 × single shaft pump-jet propulsor[2]
  • 1 × secondary propulsion motor[2]
Speedgreater than 25 knots (46 km/h)[5]
RangeEssentially unlimited distance; 33 years
Test depthgreater than 800 ft (240 m)[6]
Complement134 officers and crew[5]

USS California (SSN-781), is the eighth Virginia-class submarine, and the seventh United States Navy ship named for the state of California. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding (then called Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.) in Newport News, Virginia, on 14 August 2003. Construction began in December 2006.[7] California's keel was laid down on 1 May 2009. She was christened on 6 November 2010, sponsored by Donna Willard, wife of Admiral Robert F. Willard.[8] She was launched eight days later, on 14 November 2010.[9]

California is the first Virginia-class submarine built with the advanced electromagnetic signature reduction system; although it will be retrofitted into older submarines of the class.[10]

California was delivered to the Navy on 7 August 2011, eight and a half months ahead of schedule.[11] The $2.3 billion ship was commissioned on 29 October 2011 in Norfolk, Virginia.[12]

  1. ^ US Navy homeport
  2. ^ a b c Ragheb, Magdi (9 September 2011), Tsvetkov, Pavel (ed.), "Nuclear Naval Propulsion", Nuclear Power - Deployment, Operation and Sustainability, ISBN 978-953-307-474-0
  3. ^ "Validation of the Use of Low Enriched Uranium as a Replacement for Highly Enriched Uranium in US Submarine Reactors" (PDF). dspace.mit.edu. June 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  4. ^ "US study of reactor and fuel types to enable naval reactors to shift from HEU fuel". fissilematerials.org. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b "The US Navy -- Fact File". Archived from the original on 3 July 2007. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  6. ^ GlobalSecurity.org
  7. ^ "PCU California (SSN 781)". Naval Submarine Forces. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  8. ^ "Newest Virginia-Class Submarine Christened as Navy Launches Education Event in California". Northrop Grumman and Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs. 6 November 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  9. ^ "Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman Launches Eighth Virginia-Class Submarine, California (SSN 781)" (Press release). Northrop Grumman News. 14 November 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
  10. ^ GAO-09-326SP Assessments of Major Weapon Programs, p. 146
  11. ^ "Submarine California Delivered More Than Eight and a Half Months Ahead of Schedule" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  12. ^ Vergakis, Brock (29 October 2011). "Navy commissions nuclear submarine USS California". Associated Press (AP). Retrieved 30 October 2011.